With time comes increased loads—An analysis of solar home system use in Lundazi, Zambia

Mathias Gustavsson

Renewable Energy, 2007, vol. 32, issue 5, 796-813

Abstract: Solar energy can bring a number of electric services to the user but also puts up a number of limitations in terms of usage. The design of the system will affect the output from the system as well as the technical life. This article is based on a case-study of a photovoltaic-Energy Service Company (PV–ESCO) project company in Lundazi, Zambia. The solar technology has enabled clients to improve light quality in their houses or shops, which is the most valued benefit according to clients. Clients to the ESCO have acquired a number of electric appliances since they received the service. Radio cassette players are commonly found in households both with and without solar services, while TV sets has been acquired first after they have received this service. To the clients the solar services have resulted in an improvement of the living standards. Energy use and charge was logged during a six-month period. Average usage range from 10 to 14Ah/day. The load is concentrated to mornings and evenings, but the possibility to access energy services, such as light during the night, is appreciated by the clients. The average energy output from the solar module is 14.5Ah/day. Increased panel effect, change of the cutting points of the regulator and improve the users knowledge on proper operation of the system are options to tackle the situation of increased loads put on the system.

Keywords: Solar home system; Rural electrification; ESCO; Energy use; Zambia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148106000875
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:32:y:2007:i:5:p:796-813

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2006.03.015

Access Statistics for this article

Renewable Energy is currently edited by Soteris A. Kalogirou and Paul Christodoulides

More articles in Renewable Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().